Adventures in Babysitting
by Pooky1234
Summary: This story is based on speculation and contains spoilers for a later episode (not 9/3). Cas misunderstands a situation and calls for help.


**This story contains spoilers for ep 6 I think. Please do not read if you don't want to know.**

Adventures in Babysitting

'I can't tell you how grateful I am to you for doing this. Babysitters are worth their weight in gold these days. Now, Jake is asleep and he probably won't wake up but if he does there's plenty of baby food in the fridge; he especially likes banana custard. Help yourself to anything, or if you want to order out, there are plenty of leaflets in the drawer by the phone. I think that's everything.'

Cas watched, bewildered, as Nora ran around the room checking things like her hair and make-up before finally putting on her coat. The single red rose Dean had suggested he bring remained inside his coat. He had no idea what to say. Nora kissed his cheek.

'I won't be late. Do I look alright? First dates are so difficult but at least he knows about Jake and that didn't put him off. Make yourself at home, Castiel and I'll see you around eleven.'

Cas watched her close the door behind her and then sank down onto the sofa. He couldn't quite believe what had just happened. How had he made such a big mistake? He'd thought that Nora wanted to go out with him but seemingly she'd only wanted a babysitter. Oh no, that meant that there was a child asleep upstairs. What if he woke up? Cas knew very little about babies but perhaps he'd be lucky. He removed his coat and then his tie, putting it in his pocket. He knew that he was way too well dressed for babysitting. Oh well, there was nothing else to do so he made himself a coffee and turned on the TV. An hour later the wailing began.

At first he tried to ignore it but it didn't stop. He told himself that he could do this. Perhaps the child was hungry. In the bedroom he was taken aback to find the little boy stood up, grasping the rail of his cot, and screaming. His face was red and his eyes screwed tight. Surely nothing that small should be able to make that level of noise. Castiel thought that his eardrum might be perforated if the crying didn't stop. He leant into the cot and picked up the child. At first the boy looked at the human holding him at arms-length as if trying to decide what to do next. Cas allowed himself to relax for a moment. He could do this; he had the magic touch.

'There, there,' he said. He went to return the child to the cot but the wailing began again.

'Are you hungry?' he asked. In the past he'd have been able to judge. He'd have understood what the baby wanted but now he had no idea. How did humans live like this? There were so many faults with their design. 'Alright, your mother says that you like banana custard. I will find you some. Holding the child closer he carried him downstairs to the kitchen. He placed the child in the high chair and clipped the seat belts. The noise continued. He had to stop it or the neighbours would be round. He opened the jar of food and got a spoon. The child stopped wailing and then wouldn't open his mouth.

'Come on Jake, your mother says you like this one; it's your favourite. Please eat something and be quiet.' But Jake's mouth stayed resolutely shut until Cas turned to see what else was in the fridge, then the crying began again and the jar was swept onto the floor. By the time he'd opened five more jars there was food everywhere. He'd managed to get some vegetable casserole into Jake's mouth but it was now in Cas' hair along with some of the custard. For a small child he could spit quite far. A circle of rejected food surrounded the chair. Cas sat in the adjacent chair, his head in his hands. There was only one thing left to do.

'Dean, I need your help.'

'Cas, what have you done? Where are you, buddy? And what's that noise?'

'I'm at Nora's house. It seems there was mix up. I'm babysitting. I've tried all the food that's here and he won't stop crying. What do I do?' Cas could hear Dean laughing and then speaking to someone else, obviously Sam.

'Dean, this is serious; I need help!'

'Have you checked whether the baby needs changing?'

'No, I didn't think of that.'

'Just sniff his bottom,' Dean said.

Cas leaned as near to the chair as he could. The food confused his senses but he could smell something else amongst the banana, chicken, pasta, and rice.

'He smells Dean, but what do I do?'

'Hang tight, man. I'll be there as soon as I can.'

Dean laughed all the way there but deep inside he knew that he was pleased with this turn of events. He didn't want to work out why as that would be examining feelings it was inconvenient to have. Cas had lots of things to discover about being human.

A little while later he couldn't help laughing out loud at the sight that greeted him on the doorstep; Cas was covered in food, holding a screaming, equally covered, child. Dean reached out and pulled a dab of something from Cas' hair. He sniffed it.

'Banana custard,' he said.

'Don't just stand there. I need your help.'

'Here, give him to me.' Cas didn't argue and handed over the child. Immediately the crying stopped as Jake examined this new person holding him. Dean followed Cas to the kitchen.

'We need somewhere to change him. There's a towel over there just hand it to me and I'll get this stinky thing off him.' Dean held Jake up and blew raspberries on his stomach. Cas watched in awe as the child giggled. 'Check upstairs in the baby's room. We need a new diaper, cream, wipes and talc.'

Dean began to undress Jake. 'Oh, you are stinky,' he said. 'Just like Sammy used to be when he was little and believe me even that gigantor was small once.' He put the diaper to one side and waited for Cas to return.

'Is this everything?' Cas asked. 'Is he okay? He smells really bad.'

'He's fine,' Dean said, 'just uncomfortable, aren't you, little man? Now, let's get you all tidied up.' Cas watched as Dean wiped the child clean, put cream on a little irritated patch of skin, and then talc on the baby's bottom. He noted that there was no anxiety as Dean worked; he was methodical and organised.

'There,' Dean said after he'd secured the diaper. 'All clean again. Pass me his pants Cas, and what's left in the jar of banana. He might be hungry now.'

'How did you know?' Cas asked. Dean looked at him. 'You know. How did you know what to do?'

'Not my first time around this particular block. I used to help Mum change Sammy, and boy was he smelly. So, babysitting eh?' Cas blushed. He began to tidy up the mess. 'Yes, it seems that there was a misunderstanding. Thank you for rescuing me. He seems to be hungry now as you said.' Cas sat and watched as Dean fed Jake. 'So should I have done that? You know, played trains and airplanes? I have so much to learn.'

'If you want to have children, you do.' For a moment he wondered about Lisa and Ben. He hoped that they were happy. Back in the room he noticed that Cas was staring at him.

'What?' he asked.

'Nothing, it's nothing. It looks like Jake is asleep. You seem to have the magic touch.' The child looked so content in Dean's arms and suddenly Cas wanted to be there too. It felt strangely good to see Dean sat there with a contented baby in his arms. He got up and pushed away the chair. He needed to do something. 'Nora said to order take out. D'you want pizza?'

'You want me to stay?' Dean asked.

'I think you'd better. You know, just in case Jake wakes up again.'

'I'll put this one to bed and keep you company. Pizza would be good; pepperoni for me. There's a game on the box tonight.'

When he came back down Cas was sitting on the sofa. The TV was on. He noticed the worry on the other man's face. Sitting next to him, Dean said, 'what's the score?'

'I've no idea. I still don't understand this sport. They mostly seem to crash into each other. Is Jake alright?'

'Sleeping like a baby,' Dean answered. He had no intention of trying to explain the rules of football to the fallen angel. 'Did you order the pizza?'

'Yes, the pizza man said it would be 30 minutes or we would get it for free.' Both of their eyes widened and there was a moment when a memory reared up between them. Dean smiled, then he began to chuckle. Finally, he laughed out loud. 'Well, he isn't going to slap _my_ ass,' he said. Cas laughed as well and they leaned towards each other.

'_He's going to kiss me_?' they both thought. '_And I want him to_.' Abruptly, they pulled away from each other and watched the game once more.

The arrival of the pizza broke the atmosphere that had sprung up between them. Cas wasn't sure what to do or say.

'Pizza's good,' Dean said, breaking the silence. Cas just nodded. When the game finished they watched something else until Nora returned home.

'Oh, you have someone with you,' she said when she saw Dean. 'I hope Jake wasn't too much trouble.'

'No. Well. He did cry for a bit so I asked Dean to come over and give me a hand. I hope that's alright.'

'Yes, you should have said. You could have had your boyfriend over if you wanted.' Cas went to reply but Dean put his hand on his arm. 'I'm more used to babies than Cas. I have a younger brother. Did you have a nice evening?'

'Yes, thank you.' She gave Cas some money. 'Oh, there's no need,' he began.

'Nonsense, I told you good babysitters are worth their weight in gold. You'll have to give me your number and then you and …'

'Dean.'

'And then you and Dean can come over again.'

They drove home in silence. Again the atmosphere was thick with unanswered questions. Dean parked the Impala in the garage and went to get out of the car until Cas stopped him. 'Why did you stop me correcting her, Dean? She thinks that you and I are together.'

'Would that be so bad?' Dean asked quietly.

'But! What? Are you asking me to be your boyfriend?' Cas couldn't get his head around what Dean had implied.

'For God's sake, Cas! How many times do I have to tell you that I need you before you get it?'

'But you're always telling me to get out of your personal space. I thought you didn't feel that way about me.'

'Wait a minute. Do you have feelings for me?' Dean asked. 'I thought that I was just another human to you. I never believed what the other angels said. You kept leaving me. You didn't trust me. I thought you just wanted to get your angel wings back. Then you were supposed to go on a date with Nora.'

'But you told me to go on the date. I thought that you wanted me to. Didn't you want me to?'

'No! Oh, I don't know.' He put his head into his hands.

'Dean, don't you know that you mean more to me than anyone. I will always come when you call and I will always regret that I didn't always listen to you. I never wanted to let you down. I know that I've hurt you but I never wanted to. Now I'm just a human and of no use to you. I can't protect you anymore than Sam can. I couldn't even hear your prayers when you called. I'm so sorry.' He placed his hand over Dean's. The hunter looked up at him as a single tear rolled down his freckled cheek.

'Is that truly what you think? That I have no need for you now that you're human? Cas, I need you, you're more than just family to me. Just don't make me say it.' Cas leaned in and kissed him gently. It was brief but wonderful.

'So,' Cas said. 'Will you be my boyfriend then?'

'Yes,' Dean said before he kissed Cas again. 'But what are we going to tell Sam?'


End file.
